Favorites Bangladesh Set To Take On Afghanistan In Abu Dhabi

Riding high on confidence after a historic series draw in Australia, Bangladesh is preparing to face Afghanistan in their first-ever neutral-venue Test at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Under the captaincy of Najmul Hossain Shanto, the team enters as favorites following standout performances in Darwin by players like Tanzid Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Hasan Mahmud. Additional momentum has been injected into the squad by Hasan’s strong county form, Mehidy’s success in the CPL, and Towhid Hridoy’s record-breaking unbeaten 352 for Bangladesh A against South Africa A.

Despite this positive momentum, the camp remains cautious due to recent batting struggles among key players. Tanzid has struggled for runs since his Test century in Darwin, Liton Das has managed only two runs in his last five international innings, including three consecutive ducks in Australia, and both Mominul Haque and Shadman Islam are searching for form. Head coach Phil Simmons noted that while the pitch is good, it could be somewhat slow, leading the team to consider including spinner Nayeem Hasan alongside potential middle-order adjustments for Hridoy.

Conversely, Afghanistan is aiming to bounce back from a heavy defeat against India under their new Test and ODI captain, Rahmat Shah. The batting lineup relies heavily on skipper Rahmat and Hashmatullah Shahidi, with Sediqullah Atal and Abdul Malik opening, Rahmanullah Gurbaz at number three, and high expectations pinned on Shahidullah Kamal, who topped the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-Day Tournament with 538 runs.

To exploit Abu Dhabi’s slow pitch and challenge Bangladesh, Afghanistan has selected a spin-heavy attack featuring Qais Ahmad, Khalil Gurbaz, returning left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman, and Ismat Alam replacing Azmatullah Omarzai. With temperatures soaring to around 40 degrees Celsius, both teams face grueling conditions as they look to break a 1-1 head-to-head deadlock in their third Test meeting. This landmark fixture marks Bangladesh’s maiden neutral-venue Test and first appearance in the United Arab Emirates. For captain Shanto, a victory would yield his tenth Test win and a special milestone as Bangladesh’s most successful Test captain, while also marking a fresh start for Afghanistan’s fourth Test captain, Rahmat Shah.